2016 November | LavoroCare

Epilepsy and how it affects people’s lives

Epilepsy can affect the lives of many and working in your capacity as a care worker, it is likely that you will come across those that are long term sufferers of epilepsy or who have recently been diagnosed. Very often you may find yourself facing a lot of questions where those you know feel worried or afraid.

Here are a few questions that you may be asked:

Will it change my life?

Sufferers often wonder whether it will impact upon things such as their working life, driving a car, personal relationships, and how they may be viewed by society in general. Much depends upon the type of epilepsy that they have and the frequency of the seizures. Some people may be lucky in that their lives do not change too much whilst others may have to cope with dramatic modifications to the way in which they function.

Where can I find helpful support?

There are many support organisations that can help and who will be able to answer many of their questions, dealing with concerns at the same time and putting them in touch with helpful professionals. Although their routine may change in that they have to deal with many more personal challenges, this does not mean that they cannot live a near normal life. By having people around that can offer support and finding out as much as they can about their condition, sufferers can still live a quality life and a happy one.

I’m struggling, who can I ask for help?

Epilepsy can also bring with it feelings of anger, frustration and depression. The depression may be worsened by the seizures or impacted upon by medication or external factors. If you know someone that is feeling like this, always suggest that they contact their doctor as they will be able to offer support and maybe prescribe treatment.

How can I prepare in case I have seizure outside?

Sufferers of epilepsy should always try to let others know that they have epilepsy and they can do this by wearing an ID necklace or bracelet. In case of emergencies, they should keep their mobile phone updated with a number to call. This does not mean that they have to discuss their condition with everyone that they meet but if they think they may have seizures whilst in the presence of others then it may be wise to inform them.

Most of all, keep them positive. By making the most of support networks, friends, family and treatments on offer, they can live their life the way that they want to.

Have you have had any experience of caring for someone with epilepsy? Let us know any advice you would give to help people who have recently been diagnosed on our Facebook https://facebook.com/lavorocare or Tweet at us https://twitter.com/joblavoro .

Are you currently looking for a care worker role? Take a look at our current positions http://lavoro.com/jobs .

All about Every Child Matters

Every Child Matters : The Core of our Childrens' Services staff agency ethos

As a care worker you need to know about the organisation called Every Child Matters as there may be times when you need to liaise with children’s services. Every Child Matters (ECM) has been in existence since 2003 and is a government initiative that resulted partly due to the death of Victoria Climbié.

Protecting children and young adults

It marks major developments in the field of children’s services and as a result of three government papers on the topic; the Children Act 2004 came into being. ECM aims to protect all children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 if they have disabilities.

In essence, ECM exists to ensure that every child will:

stay safe
be healthy
enjoy and achieve
make a positive contribution
achieve economic well-being

Covering all children’s organisations

Each of these issues is dealt with by a detailed set of guidelines which organisations must follow. These may include:

Children’s centres
Early years establishments
Schools and Nurseries
Children’s social work services
Primary and secondary health services
Play schemes
Child & Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS)

Before these guidelines were put in place, research indicated that child professionals were likely to fall foul of mistakes due to them not networking or communicating effectively with each other. ECM takes control of this, maintaining that all professionals should be constantly aware of the impact that their own service and that of others can make upon the lives of children and young people.

Promotes sharing of information

ECM enforces the fact that every child should be enabled to work towards the policy’s central goals. All maintained schools have taken this policy on board as well as some independent schools.

In general, the ECM policy brings together mixed groups of people who work with children, ensuring that they share information and promote the needs of every child, enabling them to live a full, happy and healthy life. It also takes account of the fact that children should be allowed to discuss things that are important to them, as in the past this was often not done at all or simply minimized.

Every Child Matters has made much needed and crucial changes to the way that young children and adults are now looked after and protected in the UK and will continue to do so going forward.

How have you found Every Child Matters has impacted on the care you give to young people? Let us know on our Facebook https://facebook.com/lavorocare or Tweet at us https://twitter.com/joblavoro .

Are you currently looking for a job? Take a look at our current positions http://lavoro.com/jobs .

Understanding epilepsy

As a care worker, you may find yourself coming into contact with those suffering from epilepsy. In this case, it is always a good idea to know what type of seizure is taking place and what to do. The important thing to remember is not to panic and that as long as you are attentive to the person during the attack, all you can do is wait for it to abate, calmly waiting by their side and reassuring them.

Below are some of the different types of seizure with notes on how you can help:

Tonic-clonic (convulsive) seizure

When you think of epilepsy, this is most likely the seizure that you think of. The person affected will go rigid, become unconscious and usually fall to the ground, jerking uncontrollably. Their breathing may be affected which might cause them to go blue around the lips. They can even bite their tongue or lose control of their bladder or bowel.In this case, you should remove any objects nearby that may harm them, cushion their head, place them in the recovery position and stay with them until they recover. Contrary to popular belief, you should not put anything in their mouth, restrain or move them. Do not try to give them water or food or crowd them; you need to let the seizure run its course until it wears off.

Focal seizure

Often called a partial seizure, the person will lose track of what they are doing or where they are and may seem dazed and confused. Sometimes they can behave oddly, pulling at their clothing and appearing totally disoriented.

You should keep them in a safe place, away from traffic or water and stay with them until they feel better. Don’t give water or food until fully recovered and don’t expect them to know what has happened.

If any of these seizures are experienced by someone in a wheelchair, you should put on the brake and leave them in the chair, unless they have a Care Plan which states that they should be moved. Leave their seatbelt on if they have one or support them so they don’t fall onto the floor. Cushion their head and wait for them to recover.

If seizures are prolonged or breathing becomes difficult or impaired, then call for medical assistance.

Being a care worker for someone who has epilepsy can be daunting but knowing what to do helps you to be prepared. Have you have had any experience of caring for someone with epilepsy? Let us know any advice you would give on our Facebook https://facebook.com/lavorocare or Tweet at us https://twitter.com/joblavoro .

Are you currently looking for a care worker role? Take a look at our current positions http://lavoro.com/jobs .

How to keep active for free

Some may struggle to keep fit and active, particularly if they are on a tight budget. However, you can help them by providing useful information. They should be aware that keeping fit and active need not cost a fortune and there is always a fun and economical way of keeping healthy and looking their best.With a little bit of research and planning, it is easy enough to make use of many forms of simple exercise that are suitable for all ages and all levels of fitness. As with any form of activity, people should start off slowly and if they have any particular health problems, check with their doctor before going ahead.

Getting their walking shoes on

These days it is very easy to get into the habit of avoiding walking by using cars, public transport and lifts etc. but walking is actually a great form of exercise that everyone can get involved in. Not only can it raise people’s mood but because it burns calories, they will lose weight, feel healthier and get their body nicely warmed up with some aerobic activity. It doesn’t have to be a marathon either; people can begin by walking for a few minutes on a regular basis and gradually increase it. Little and often is the secret and they will find it as effective as going to the gym.

Check out this link to find details of your local Walking for Health scheme, England’s largest network of walks to keep people healthy:

https://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder

Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K (C25K) is all about running and for those that want an activity that is a little more strenuous than walking. Designed specifically to get even non-runners moving, it is great for health, aiding weight loss and giving the heart and lungs a good workout. Many runners also report feeling much happier with an improved sense of wellbeing. C25K was developed by someone new to running who wanted to encourage 50+ adults to get off the couch! It encompasses three weekly runs with a day off in-between over a nine week period. NHS Choices provides more information here on how people can get started:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/get-running-with-couch-to-5k.aspx

Green Gyms

If the idea of an outdoor ‘gym’ appeals, you can work off some calories and get healthy by clearing the countryside paths and green areas via the Green Gym scheme. Run by The Conservation Volunteers, they will get involved in many hands-on practical projects, working on physical tasks outdoors. Great for building strength and stamina and generally have a healthy and productive time. They can find out more here:

http://www.tcv.org.uk/greengym/find-green-gym

Do you encourage the people you support to do more exercise? What ways have you found useful? Let us know on our Facebook https://facebook.com/lavorocare or Tweet at us https://twitter.com/joblavoro .

Are you currently looking for a job? Take a look at our current positions http://lavoro.com/jobs .